Republican lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives are fleeing for the exits. News broke Thursday that two-term Rep. Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana and the current Speaker of the House, is facing mounting pressure from both conservatives and Democrats as he navigates a contentious debate on foreign aid.
JUST ONE week ago, hope looked fanciful. President Joe Biden's pitch to spend $100bn on aid for America's allies under threat—Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan—was met with skepticism from members of Johnson's own party. However, as the debate unfolded, U.S. House Democrats began coalescing Thursday behind Speaker Johnson's plan to provide aid for these key allies.
"You assume risk when you take this job. We don't back away from risk. I'm going to do the right thing,” Speaker Johnson says as storm clouds of uncertainty loom over Capitol Hill.
In a tense conversation on the House floor on Thursday, a group of conservatives pressured Speaker Johnson to back off potential plans that they viewed as excessive spending on foreign aid. However, Johnson remained resolute in his commitment to supporting America's allies in the face of growing threats.
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz told theGrio he is concerned that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries could become the next speaker of the House, highlighting the internal divisions within the Republican Party as they grapple with the foreign aid debate.
The House of Representatives on Saturday passed foreign aid bills that included billions in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, marking a significant victory for Speaker Johnson and his bipartisan approach to foreign policy.
Praising the House speaker for doing what's right, or even normal, is warranted, given how the Republican Party, locked in Donald Trump's shadow, struggles to find common ground on key issues like foreign aid.
The image shows Speaker Johnson engaged in a heated discussion on the House floor, surrounded by a diverse group of lawmakers from both parties, reflecting the intense debate unfolding in Congress.
